


together

by rangerhitomi



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Family Bonding, Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Birthday Kai Toshiki, Kissing, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-09-29 00:01:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20434676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rangerhitomi/pseuds/rangerhitomi
Summary: Kai and Aichi are both back in Japan, for good. There's no better time to finally get together than having a quiet birthday dinner at the Sendou household, right?





	together

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KAIKUN!! how many fics can i write where kai and aichi get together? not enough! never enough!

Kai's patience wanes as Miwa physically drags him to Card Capital, going on at length about how nice it'll be to hang out with their friends and cardfight without the fate of the world hanging in the balance for a change. The one-sided conversation is entirely about Aichi and how nice it is that he's finished school in America and how fortunate it is that he'll be doing his graduate work at the University of Tokyo so they can see him, and Kai especially must be pleased, right, since he's nursed a painful crush on Aichi since high school?

He's right, despite Kai pointedly ignoring him. He _had _missed Aichi, a lot, and it's been over a year since the Gyze incident, the aftermath of which was the last time until last week’s welcome home party that he'd seen Aichi in over a year while he finished up his degree at Yale.

Kai has permanently returned to Japan, too. Ibuki asked him if he would be interested in doing intermittent work with the Vanguard Association in addition to being a pro fighter, and the thought of being back here with his friends, in his home city doing worthwhile work that he enjoys, was too much to pass up in favor of staying in the Euro League.

When they arrive at Card Capital, Kai is suddenly wary; it's his birthday, and Miwa is absolutely the kind of person to plan a "surprise" party (or rather, the kind of person to convince Misaki to throw a "surprise party") and Kai really, really doesn't feel like being the center of attention today. (Or ever, really, but today especially.) Yet when they walk into the shop, the lights are on and Misaki, busy sweeping the floor, gives them a polite acknowledgement before returning to her task. A handful of kids are using the good fight tables, but tucked away in the corner, Kamui is engaged in what looks like a close fight with Aichi. 

"Generation Guard!" Kamui declares, slapping the requisite cards in the guardian circle. 

"Drive check," Aichi says confidently, flipping over the first card. "Ah, critical trigger... effects to the rearguard Blaster Blade. Second check... another critical, all effects again to Blaster Blade..."

The third check revealing a third trigger (Heal) causes Kamui to react so loudly that Kai thinks the resulting _Oh my god!_ might trigger an avalanche all the way in Hokkaido. 

"Keep your voice down," Misaki says sharply from across the room as the kids at the fight table turn curiously to watch Kamui rambling about _impossible luck_, "you're disrupting the other customers."

Aichi turns, face apologetic, and freezes when he sees Kai and Miwa standing behind him.

“Oh!” His expression changes to one of excitement, his smile wide and his eyes bright. “You’re here!”

Kai returns his smile. “Yeah.”

They look at each other for a few seconds before Miwa elbows Kai in the ribs. “Hey buddy, maybe you and Aichi should have a cardfight? You know, for old time’s sake.”

“Mm!” Aichi beams even brighter. “That sounds wonderful!”

“Of course,” Kai agrees easily. Kamui moves out of the way so Kai can sit across from Aichi, giving Kai a brief warning that Aichi’s drive check skills today are dangerously critical-heavy—a warning that Kai ignores, because it can’t be better than Kai’s own trigger drawing skills.

(As it turns out, Aichi _is _tremendously lucky, hits two Heal triggers in a row right when Kai is about to win, and pulls off a win in his next turn.)

But it’s fun, in a different way than his fights in the Euro League were; he has always gotten a light feeling in his chest from fighting Aichi, something that no fighter in the world has ever been able to replicate, and today is no different.

“As always, you’re incredible,” Kai says, placing his sixth damage.

“Want to play again?” Aichi pipes up, and Kai is about to agree when Miwa butts in.

“My turn next! I wanna fight Aichi!”

Aichi smiles brightly. “Sure! I haven’t fought you in ages, Miwa-kun. This will be fun!”

Miwa practically shoves Kai out of the chair in his haste to set up across from Aichi, and Kai sighs before making his way across the store to where Misaki is still sweeping.

“I’m surprised Miwa didn’t talk you into setting up a party,” Kai mutters, just loud enough to be heard over Miwa’s overenthusiastic _Stand up, the Vanguard! _chant.

“Oh, he tried.” Misaki scoops the dirt into a dustpan. “I told him I wasn’t closing the store for a party on a Wednesday night.”

Kai’s lips twitch in amusement as Aichi deftly deals Miwa two damage. “I guess I should thank you, then.”

“It’ll be Sunday afternoon, therefore not a surprise, and I’m _not_ closing the shop for it.”

“That’s fair.”

Misaki leans against the broom, watching Aichi guard a double critical from Miwa. “Are you together yet?”

She says it so matter-of-factly that he can hardly work himself up to deny it. “No.”

“There’s nothing stopping you now, you know.”

He knows.

She’s about to say something else but Miwa chooses that moment to shriek _“a quadruple critical?!” _so she bites back her remark to Kai and walks over to Miwa, standing behind him with her arms crossed.

Aichi slinks away and joins Kai as Misaki chews out Miwa for being disruptive before assigning him toilet cleaning duty, despite Miwa apologizing profusely to her throughout _(“I’m sorry, nee-chan! I’m really sorry, I just got caught up in the moment!” “Then you won’t mind cleaning the urinals.” “E-eh? I, I guess...”)_. “They haven’t changed, huh?”

Kai shakes his head. “Miwa is the exact same person I knew as a kid.”

“Too energetic?”

“Too noisy in general.”

A small giggle passes Aichi’s lips. “He’s a good friend, though.”

“He’s always been that, too.”

Miwa bids them a glum farewell on his way to clean the toilets and Kamui hurriedly says something about his mom making dinner and rushes out the door with a “see you, Aichi onii-san!” before Misaki can set him to work, too.

She turns to Aichi and Kai.

“W-we’re not on your payroll, Misaki-san...” Aichi says in a high voice, waving his hands deferentially.

She snorts. “I wasn’t putting you to work, Aichi. Don’t the two of you have plans for the night?” Her question is clearly meant to be casual, but Kai detects a hint of _I know your plans don’t have anything to do with hanging out around here by yourselves_ and decides this is as good a time as any to get going.

They bid her good night and leave the shop, Kai at a complete loss as to where they’re going now.

“Come back to my place tonight?” Aichi tugs on Kai’s hand.

Kai agrees after hesitating for a few seconds, but with one reservation. “Your mom won’t mind?”

Aichi laughs, pulling Kai along the sidewalk toward his mom’s house. “Not at all. Since Emi is studying in England this year, Mom has been...” He touches his free hand to his chin as he thinks. “There’s an English phrase for it… um… oh, e_mpty nesting. _Like a mother bird whose babies have all flown away on their own. She’d be thrilled to be able to cook for two more again.” He smiles. “Especially for you, and on your birthday.”

“You didn’t tell her it was my birthday, did you?”

“She extracted it from me like four years ago.”

“And she remembers it still?”

“She doesn’t forget things like that, ever.”

No one is home when Aichi opens his front door, but they excuse themselves anyway and remove their shoes before making their way into the sitting room. Aichi sits on the sofa, tugging Kai by the hand until Kai sits next to him, their knees touching. “I guess, maybe now that I’m home for good and so are you, we might, you know, talk about…” His free hand clenches and unclenches on his pant leg. Kai knows what Aichi is trying to say, but he lets him figure out how he wants to say it, because he _has _to say it, and Kai _has _to hear it, unambiguously. The biggest obstacle to their relationship has always been their collective inability to communicate properly with the other, and if this—they—were going to work out, the way they both want, they have to be able to talk to each other about anything, without reservations.

Kai squeezes Aichi’s hand twice in reassurance. It seems to embolden Aichi at last, for he takes a deep breath and looks straight into Kai’s face, determination in his eyes.

“We can be together,” he says in a rush, yet firmly, and Kai’s heart skips a beat, “like, boyfriends, or, or whatever word you like...”

He’s losing steam as quickly as he’d gained it, but Kai has no steam to begin with. Despite everything, despite having flat-out told Aichi that he was in love with him one year ago as they celebrated saving the world from Gyze but knowing the physical distance between them was too great at the time for anything to work out, hearing Aichi offer to be _with Kai,_ not just as friends but as _boyfriends,_ is surreal. A strange yet alluring dream he doesn’t want to wake up from.

“I’d like that,” he whispers. His face warms, but for once, it’s not in embarrassment, but in overwhelming affection. “I mean, I want it. I want that. With you.”

Aichi’s eyes fill with tears as he lunges forward, wrapping Kai in a tight embrace, squeezing him like he has no intention ever of letting go; Kai welcomes it, returns it in equal measure, and lets the weight of Aichi’s body push him back onto the sofa.

Their hearts beat erratically; Aichi sniffles into Kai’s neck. Kai wants to hold Aichi like this forever and ever, to feel his warmth soak into Kai’s bones, to—

“Kai-kun,” Aichi breathes, “can… can I… kiss you?”

“Yes,” Kai breathes back without hesitation, and his entire body melts under Aichi’s when their lips touch; Aichi’s lips are a little chapped, but they feel so natural against Kai’s, sliding around for a comfortable fit as Aichi’s fingers thread through Kai’s hair.

Soft, fleeting, deeper, passionate; light as a butterfly before giving way to a deep sucking, lips parting eagerly, Aichi’s fingers tugging his hair more intently, bodies shifting together, Kai’s arms around Aichi’s waist, pulling him closer and closer, so close they could merge together—

The front door swings open, and the two pull away. The sound of someone wrestling with several heavy objects overpowers the quiet panting of the two men lying on the sofa together.

“I’m home!”

Aichi makes a soft _ah _sound before climbing off Kai and helping him to his feet. “Welcome home, Mom.”

“Oh honey, is that you? I’m so glad. Could you help me with the gr—Kai-kun! You’re home too!”

She doesn’t seem to notice Kai’s more-tousled-than-usual hair or the deep red of her son’s face, which is perhaps a good thing at the moment. “Hi,” Kai says quietly, plucking a bag of vegetables out of her hand, “I’ll help.”

Ignoring her insistence that he was a guest and needn’t help with menial chores, he helps her and Aichi bring the groceries to the kitchen, where the three of them have the food put away in just a few minutes. Kai’s mind swirls with a hundred different emotions: affection, worry, nervousness, anticipation, excitement. It’s not a dream, this time. It’s not a whimsical promise of a future together in a few years’ time. It’s real, it’s now; he and Aichi are in love and together, _together _together, and he will stay with Aichi tonight, feeling for the first time the warmth of another’s body next to his as he sleeps, listening to Aichi’s quiet breathing, seeing him, smelling him, touching him.

And Shizuka has no objections to Kai staying over. True to Aichi’s observations, she is thrilled at the prospect of cooking for someone other than herself, and when Kai demurely offers to eat anything she makes for dinner Aichi pipes in with “it’s Kai-kun’s birthday so you should make him his favorite food!” and suddenly he’s sitting in the living room holding a glass of wine while Shizuka prepares beef stroganoff in the kitchen.

Aichi, having acquired a beer from the refrigerator, sits next to Kai and gives him a warm, playful smile. “She always makes a big deal out of birthdays.”

“She doesn’t need to.”

The smile fades somewhat. He now looks at Kai puzzledly. “She doesn’t, but it’s what she loves. Me and Emi, our birthdays were always big deals for Mom. Especially since, you know, I was… depressed, when I was younger.”

Kai reaches blindly for Aichi’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Birthdays are a celebration of our lives, even if things haven’t always been easy. You know?”

He does. His life hasn’t been easy, either; losing his parents, being shuffled around from relative to relative, having a lack of family support during a time in his life that he badly needed it… it was hard.

“This is the first birthday I’ve had since my parents died that… it feels like everything is going right for a change.”

Aichi places his other hand on top of Kai’s. “I’m happy that I can share it with you.”

Shizuka enters the sitting room. Kai starts to pull his hand away from Aichi, but Aichi holds it firmly in place, giving Kai another reassuring smile.

_It’s okay,_ that smile says, _let’s do this together._

She sits across from them with her own glass of wine, eyes settling on their hands clasped between them, but doesn’t say anything.

“Mom,” Aichi says, taking a deep breath, “Kai-kun and I… we want to share something with you.”

“Oh?” Judging by the tilt of her head and the way her eyes linger too long on their hands, Kai is sure she’s figured it out.

“Well, we… Kai-kun and I have been friends for a long time, and, and over the years, I guess we…”

Despite his earlier attempts to reassure Kai, Aichi begins to stammer, so Kai steels himself and blurts out, “We fell in love.”

He’s surprised by his lack of embarrassment at his own sentimentality; he surprises himself even more when he continues in a long, rambling sentence.

“Aichi has always supported me, no matter what I said or did, even when I hurt him or pushed him away, and he’s always cared about me even more than he cared about his own well-being and I love him and want to support him in turn and walk this path with him for the rest of our lives.”

He doesn’t know what he expects her reaction will be, but he is not prepared when her face crumples and she begins to sob heavily into her hands, entire body shaking with the effort. Now that she’s started crying, he doesn’t know what to do, or whether her reaction is a positive one, so he sits there watching helplessly even as Aichi’s eyes tear up, too.

“Oh, Mom...” Aichi starts to stand.

“My boy… my baby boy...” She stands, dragging her hand across her face, and throws herself at Aichi, who catches her in his arms and holds her close. “I’m, I’m… come here, Kai-kun...”

Aichi tugs Kai closer and he finds himself the next recipient of Shizuka’s tight squeeze.

It’s been a long, long time since he’d been held like this, like a mother would hug her son. It’s warm and comforting in a different way than Aichi’s embraces; in his childhood images of an ideal future, this is the hug his own mother would have given him when he graduated high school or won a tournament or celebrated a birthday. This is the love of a mother who may not have given birth to him, or even known him for his entire life, but who loved him no less than she loved her own flesh and blood.

Tears burn in his own eyes as he returns her hug. They stay that way for a long time, until the sound of the lid for the pot on the stove begins to rattle and they finally break away.

She wipes her eyes on her sleeve. “Well, I think dinner is about done. Aichi, won’t you set the table?”

“Of course.”

They settle down to eat, filling their plates with noodles and mushrooms and beef strips. It smells delicious, and when Kai takes a bite, he finds that it’s savory to boot.

“This is wonderful, thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it, Kai-kun.” Shizuka takes a sip of wine and decides to get straight to the point. “Mm, actually, since you’re dating my son now, I guess I shouldn’t call you Kai-kun, right? Can I call you Toshiki?”

Aichi manages to avoid choking on his beer, but barely. For Kai, this is the last proof he needs that she has taken him in as her own son, and it won’t do for her to call her son by a surname.

“Of course,” Kai replies, picking up his own glass of wine, “you can call me what you’d like.”

“Toshiki it is, then.”

She talks to Kai animatedly throughout dinner, asking him questions about France and Vanguard and Aichi, and he does his best to give more than three-word responses. This is another thing it’ll take time to adjust to; his own mother was the last person to call him Toshiki, and to use it affectionately, lovingly.

His entire body is light and warm as it’s ever been.

When dinner is done and dishes are washed and put away, Aichi suggests they get ready for bed; there is no question in any of their minds that Aichi and Kai will share Aichi’s room, though Aichi seems a little embarrassed by his mother reminding them to stay quiet and be careful—_when you’re in a relationship with someone, sometimes there are things you want to do with them—_and when she decides to tuck them in like a couple of eight year old boys at a sleepover, Aichi kind of groans.

Kai doesn’t mind it. It’s nice.

They lay in silence under Aichi’s blanket. The moon shines through the window and its light washes over Aichi’s body. He’s angelic, Kai decides, and for the hundredth time that day he feels blessed for how lucky he was to have someone was beautiful and wonderful as Aichi fall in love with him.

Aichi scoots closer, draping his arm around Kai’s torso. “I’m really happy right now, Kai-kun.”

“Me too,” Kai murmurs, touching Aichi’s face. His skin is soft. “Thank you for everything.”

Aichi just smiles.

They sleep together in peaceful quiet that night, each holding the other so tightly that they both wake up in the morning with numb arms and hands, but it’s worth it, because now they have each other, together, forever.

**Author's Note:**

> enjoy my shitposting @ rangerhitomi on the tweeter but first leave a comment and a kudo!


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